Sip on new winter spirits from El Dorado, Cusp, Harney Sushi and more.

San Diego’s best mixologists are embracing holiday scents and spices to craft warming spirits strong enough to get us through the season. Expand far beyond your regular bar routine with new holiday cocktails from El Dorado, Cusp, Harney Sushi, The Duck Dive and new hot spot Blind Burro. Who's down for a round of Apple Hotties?

Snow Globe & Craft Shots

El Dorado’s new winter cocktail menu introduces five holiday-inspired concoctions, plus three debut craft shots. That’s right; it’s like a craft cocktail, but stronger and cheaper. The debut shots include Poison Apple with gin, lime, grenadine and baked apple bitters; Gold Nugget with bourbon, lemon and honey; and Bee Sting with gin, lemon, honey and peach bitters. Because it’s weird to take shots solo, order a trio to share for $12. A winter cocktail highlight is the Snow Globe, made with black rum, lemon, cinnamon, egg white and bitters. For your sweet fix, order the Sugar Cookie with rum, lemon, Orgeat, Faretti Biscotti and black walnut bitters. The winter menu launches on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

If smiling is your favorite, drink in the Christmas spirit at The Duck Dive in Pacific Beach. This beach bar is serving three seasonal spirits through the month. Our top pick is Buddy the Elf, a gingerbread martini made with cinnamon schnapps, hazelnut schnapps, Bailey’s Irish cream and gingerbread, garnished with gingerbread cookie dust. And we love the name. More holiday booze on the menu includes the lemon-ginger Lloyd Christmas and The Jeffrey Lebowski, a spirited take on a White Russian.

This revamped destination at Hotel La Jolla introduced a sophisticated winter cocktail menu designed by Nate Howell, the new head bartender in town. A fresh take on the deep-rooted Black Flip cocktail, the Sir Rudy is made with Cruzan Black Strap rum, Del Maguey Vida, demerara, a whole egg and nutmeg. The creamy spirit is ideal for a cool winter night.

This downtown Italian restaurant is celebrating the holidays with a trio of festive spirits. Our favorite holiday cocktail is the decadent Toasted Almond, made with Kahlua, Amaretto, cream and whipped cream, garnished with fresh mint. For a lighter taste, order the Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail, made with prosecco, Triple sec and pomegranate syrup, topped with a lemon twist.

We are so Harney for soju this holiday season. Harney Sushi is rolling out a new winter cocktail menu with six spirits made with the sweet Korean rice liquor and wine. Our favorite holiday addiction is the Apple Tottie, their spin on a Hot Toddy, made with hot apple cider, Han soju, nutmeg and cinnamon. More winter elixirs include Winter Sangria, made with chardonnay, apples, citrus, honey, cloves and nutmeg; and the rich White Mule, made with peppermint-infused Han soju, Irish crème, chai, marshmallow syrup and vanilla bean salt.

Good Time Design’s newest East Village hot spot is opening doors this week. In the space formerly occupied by The Fleetwood, The Blind Burro is a Baja-inspired bar and restaurant with a stellar tequila and mezcal spirits program. Their pick for the holidays is El Buy, a spicy cocktail with house-made horchata, Skyy vodka and Patron tequila, garnished with a cinnamon stick. Opens: Friday, Dec. 14